
While I’m visiting my family in Japan, I’ve asked several blogger friends to blog-sit for me and today’s sitter is Biren from Roti n Rice.
Biren currently lives in Twin Cities, Minnesota, but she grew up in Malaysia where home cooking was an eclectic mix of Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines. After moving to the US and having her own family, she started baking and cooking more diverse recipes. On her blog, she shares Western, Japanese, and other East Asian cuisines like these delicious Chicken Curry with Kaffir Lime Leaves and Tau Sar Bao and Matcha Anpan.
When you visit her blog, you will realize that her recipes are very nicely sorted and organized in different categories. Her attention to detail has made it very easy to find recipes you are looking for. She has a wide range of recipe collection spanning over 300 tasty recipes. Check out her blog for tonight’s dinner ideas after this post. 😉
Now please welcome Biren with these easy and delicious Lavender Madeleines.
*****

On behalf of Nami, I wish all fans of Just One Cookbook Irasshaimase or Welcome to the “store”! My name is Biren and I blog at Roti n Rice. Today, I am honored to be “blog sitting” for Nami while she visits family in Japan. Like you, I am usually the visitor coming here to get a glimpse into the Japanese home kitchen afforded by this blog to the English speaking world. I am sure you will agree with me that Nami does a fantastic job of sharing her food and culture with us.
Although Nami and I have only met virtually for about a year and never in person, it is as if we have known each other for a while. Our passion for food and family brings us together. I have two teenage boys myself and Nami enjoys reading about their antics when they were her children’s age. On the food front, I enjoy an eclectic mix of cuisines in my home cooking and easy Japanese food is in that mix. Onigiri, miso soup, grilled fish, and tsukemono are some of my go-to dishes when pressed for time to lay a meal on the table. Ocha-zuke is comfort food for me.
However, I also do enjoy a little baking and since Nami has always said that she does not have too many baked desserts here, I have decided to share one with you today. Madeleines immediately came to mind when I was planning for this guest post. These little cakes are in keeping with the Japanese’s love for all things dainty and the philosophy of Hara Hachi Bu (腹八分) – eating until you are 80% full.

Madeleines are mini sponge cakes with a distinctive shell shape. They are made famous by Marcel Proust in his novel Remembrance of Things Past where the madeleine episode has been well quoted. A pan with shell-like indentations is needed to make these cakes. These pans can be purchased at specialty kitchen stores.
If you have never eaten madeleines, I urge you to give these a try. They are pretty easy to make and relatively fuss free. I mixed in some culinary lavender for added flavor and fragrance. Lavender also reminds me of summer days ahead…
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Lavender Madeleines
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp culinary lavender (crushed to release its fragrance)
- 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (at room temperature)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter (8 Tbsp; melted)
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing and dusting pan)
- all-purpose flour (plain flour) (for greasing and dusting pan)
- confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Grease a standard size Madeleine pan well. Dust with flour. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
- Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in lavender. Set aside.
- Beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add flour mixture and melted butter.
- Gently fold in flour and butter until well incorporated. Tip: For a more pronounced “hump” appearance, cover batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then spoon batter into prepared mold, leaving batter mounded in the center.
- Spoon batter into each mold cavity until almost full.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched. Do not over bake.
- Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in pan. Turn the pan over and give it a light tap to unmold.
- Cool on rack, shell side up. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with tea or coffee.
My husband loves madeleines, but I don’t have a pan. I love the addition of lavender. Your kitchen must smell so divine!
Those are so cute! I’ve never had a madeline before. So they’re sort of spongy?
I just got my very first madeleine pan! This would be a fantastic first recipe to try.
I bet these make the whole house smell heavenly. I grow lavender in my yard and it never ceases to relax me when I walk by my plants.
Nami, hope you’re having a wonderful trip & thanks for introducing us to Roti n Rice – these madeleines are gorgeous and they are so delicious. Love this little cakes 🙂
I love madeleines and these are so beautiful, I can imagine the aroma from the lavender!
Have fun Nami!
Oh, Biren, your madeleines look amazing! Perfectly executed (mine usually stay stuck in the pans!!!). So fun to find you on Nami’s blog 🙂
Nami, have a fabulous time visiting your family! You are my blogger inspiration…I am finally trying to balance life and blogging. Thanks for all your kindness and support!
mmmm. Really lovely!
This is another version of madeleines from Biren that I would love to try!
Awesome guest post, ladies!
These madeleines look amazing, I love the toasted edges. I have yet to make anything with lavender, but this recipe may be the first one. Thanks for having Biren, Nami-I will need to pop on over to her blog!
Also enjoy your time with the family Nami!
What a lovely post! I hope you’re having a wonderful time in Japan Nami! 😀
I love madeleines! They’re so simple yet delicious! hehe.. actually, the Malaysian version of madeleines are “kueh balu”! I’ve made some before! http://sweetsamsations.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/kuih-bahulu-cara-manis/
Congratulations 😀
I have awarded you on my blog – enjoy right here:
http://gobakeyourself.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/give-me-a-grin-for-easter-2012/
You deserve it 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
P.S These madeleines are exquisite!
These are so adorable and delicious looking. I’ve never made anything like this but I would certainly love to 🙂
Fabulous guest post, Biren! The lavender madeleines looks picture perfect and the photographs are just beautiful!
Lovely to see my friends Biren & Nami together in one place 🙂